Brick
by posionparadise
Summary: AU, set s3. What would have happened if Sunnydale had never got a little Faith?


Title: Brick

Author: PosionParadise

Summary: AU, set s3. Things aren't too off (as you go you will learn – not all who wander are lost) The only major change is the Slayers. What would have happened if Sunnydale had never got a little Faith? R/R is optional. Well, not the reading – 'cause you're already here. ;o)

Chapter One: More Alone

It was a miserably hot day in Sunnydale. She pulled her new car into the parking lot of Sunnydale High, as if the gift from her father would have made him leaving and making her and her mother move to a new town any better. She took a deep sigh and checked the mirror. It could only be so bad. The last town she lived in had so many things wrong with it, she wanted to leave, but she wanted to take her entire life with her. Checking over herself, she realized she had yet to apply make-up to the already model-perfected face. Afraid that the light bronze hair and hazel eyes weren't going to be enough of a pair with the athletic build she was blessed with, she quickly applied some lip gloss, giving up on the beauty for the day. Click Click Click…. She walks down the hallway towards the entry of the school in her heels, noticing the entire lack of students. She checks her watch; yes it is eight AM, the time she should arrive. She continues her walk towards the office. "201, 203, 205," she mutters to herself. "Admissions." She smiles with self-approval and walks in. The unpleasant, almost troll-looking lady barely lifts her eyes from her keyboard to acknowledge the presence of the other person in the room. "Can I help you?" "Hi, I called, well, my mother did, yesterday about me being admitted here," the new girl started. "Oh. Lucky you. Sit down and fill this out. Name?" "Laci. Um, Laci Matthews." Laci went about filling out the form and the woman behind the desk put her information in the computer. A few minutes later the secretary handed her a map and had hi-lighted the path from the attendance office to the library. "You'll need to go get your books from our librarian, Mr. Giles." Laci gave her a ten-karat smile. "Thank you." She walked out shaking her head. "Yep. Thanks Dad. The car, definitely not worth it," she said mumbling as she tried to follow her map to the library.

After what seemed like walking through mazes, Laci found what appeared to be a library. The slender girl walked right in, not thinking she'd ever need to knock to enter a library. "Giles! Three vamps that close to the campu-," a blonde cut herself off as soon as she saw Laci. They sat there and stared at each other like deer in headlights. Laci was the first to speak. "Um, I'm looking for Mr. Giles?" Buffy pointed to the stacks. The auburn-haired girl went up to find the gentlemen who could supply her the books she needed. "Mr. Giles," she called out. "Ah yes, right here," an unfamiliar English accent spoke out from behind her, "How may I help you?" "I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Laci said nodding towards Buffy, "But I was sent here to get books for my classes, I'll be attending SHS now, and require well, books." "Right of course, in which classes are you taking?" The girl pulled out her schedule and ran down it. "Calculus, English IV, Oceanography, and US History. Can you book me?" Giles went to the other side of the stacks and found the books she needed and she left. Buffy was still sitting down on the table quiet. "What is it Buffy," her Watcher asked her as soon as the girl left. "There was something about her, I sensed it. She had power." Buffy looked at the door again and frowned.

Willow was sitting in Calculus, enjoying the challenge. The new girl and talk of the school, Laci, however was not enjoying it as much. She looked like she was in over her head and wasn't anywhere near reaching the surface. Willow smiled at her. "What's your name," Willow mouthed at her. "Laci," she mouthed back, managing not to laugh. "What are you doing tonight," Willow kept up. "Nothing," the girl responded. Willow giggled. "Meet me after class," Willow mouthed. Laci nodded. After class Laci went to Willow's desk. She smiled, "I don't think I caught your name," she said. "Willow." "Oh, hey Willow." "So, what I was asking, you're new in town right?" "Yeah, my mom and I moved here a couple of days ago. It was kinda one of those, parental divorces, we leave things." "Oh, you make the best friends like that," the redhead witch said laughing, thinking about when she met Buffy. Laci smiled, comforted. "Anyway," Willow continued, "There's a club here, you should come, meet some people, hang out, that thing." "That'd be nice. Meeting people would be good. I've only actually talked to maybe two students here. You, and some blonde earlier, asking her to talk to someone else." The twosome walked towards Willow's locker. Oz was waiting there for her. "Oz!" She hugged him. "Oh! Oz! This is Laci. Laci, this is Oz, he's my boyfriend," she said smiling proudly. Oz gave a silent nod. Laci smiled and waved. "So Oz, have you seen Buff?" "She's in the library, last I saw her," he said taking her hand as he was being dragged that way by her. Laci followed. "So, you guys hang in the library often," Laci asked confused. "Oh yeah, Giles is the coolest," Willow said, trying not to blow the Slayer cover. Laci raised her eyebrows and nodded, sitting down at one of the tables. Cordelia stormed into the library. "Where's Xander?" "Hello to you too, Cordy," Willow joked. Cordelia rolled her eyes at Willow. "He was supposed to meet me for lunch and he didn't. I figured you guys would know where he was if anyone did. Who's she," the cheerleader said finally noticing Laci. Laci gave a nod of 'Wuzup'. "Laci," the auburn-haired girl stated. Cordelia gave her an once-over, then smiled in approval. "Cordelia. You're not from around here?" "You're not wrong. We moved here from Cleveland." "Wow that's pretty much a switch. I mean, weather, size, yeah, welcome to hell." "Willow was just about to finish telling me about the Bronze, and then we were heading to lunch," she said, as if confirming the plans. Willow nodded. Oz was sitting off in his own little world. "Giles," the blonde whined walking into the door. "Oh, hi guys. And new person," she said upon seeing book girl from earlier. "Who's new person?" "Oh Buffy, this is Laci. She just moved here from Cleveland, she was going to join us at the Bronze tonight – she pretty much doesn't know anyone here." Xander came trailing in behind the blonde Slayer. "Well what's the scoo- whoah. Who? When? What," he stuttered. Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Drop the drool Harris. She's a newbie here." "Sometimes they even just call me Laci," she joked. "Laci then. You Bronzin' with us tonight?" "Willow did invite me, if I can pull from the studi- yeah." She smiled. As the clock ticked on Laci began getting anxious about going home. Finally a town she didn't have to go home and worry about things going bump-in-the-night following her, unless there's a high crime rate.

The final bell rang, and she waved at her new friends. "Thanks for the directions, eight-thirty sound good?" she called their way. Buffy tossed her a thumbs up, and Laci got in her car and headed home. She slipped in her favorite burned CD started singing along while looking at the lovely scenery of Sunnydale. I No hesitation, no delay… I 

Finally at home, Laci walked through the door. "Honey! You're home." "Honey is home," she laughed at her mother. "How was your first big day? How are the classes? Meet anyone who, like I said, was going to be adorable?" The auburn haired girl couldn't help but to smile. Her mother had been so broken about having to move, and wanted nothing more than for it to be a Miracle for Laci. "Actually, yes. The day went fine, I met some friends, and they want me to join them tonight in meeting some more people. And the classes are fine, I can see my GPA going sky-rocket," she smiled. Her mom laughed and poked at her with a carrot she'd been cutting for a salad. "And cute people?" Laci smiled. "It has a fair share." Chloe Matthews looked at her and laughed. "So it's good then." "It's good." Her mom pulled her into a hug. "I'm glad. Now go find something to wear tonight." Laci nodded and trotted up to her room. She opened her closet and looked at what few clothes were in there, then glanced around her room at all the boxes. After sighing she checked the clock. It was only a quarter after three; she had plenty of time until she had to join the others. If she found some clothes she liked while unpacking, that was killing two for one, right? After about two hours of unpacking, the auburn haired girl found some of her favorite black pants. Her best friend in Cleveland used to kid her, "Don't move too fast in those, Lace, you'll rip 'em". Laci smiled at the memory, and went to find the cream tank top that she loved matching with it. After showering, fixing her makeup and hair, and then finding her strappy heels, it was pushing eight. "Wow killer, we're aiming to bring home people," her mom teased. "Ha. Ha. But a nice first impression never hurt, and the status of invisible isn't one I am fond of," Laci joked back. "Has it ever been?" She stuck her tongue out at her daughter, and got the same response as her daughter walked out the door.

After circling what appeared to be as close to be downtown Sunnydale as Sunnydale had, she finally found the Bronze. After getting in, she looked around the club, almost impressed. She listened to the music and started to sway her way up to the bar for a drink. Xander was watching her every move unnoticed, with interest.

_She said, "what good is tomorrow without a guarantee?" _

She smiled at the bartender and asked for something. He repeated it smiling.

She can lick her lips and smile 

She smiled back, and nodded.

And make you want to believe 

After getting her drink a guy came up to her and asked her to dance.

That the consequences of your actions really are just a game 

Laci put her drink on an empty table and looked him over and joined him.

_That your life is just a chain reaction taking you day by day_

They danced for a minute. Then he got her to start walking towards the back exit.

She says nothing's forever in this crazy world 

"Oh there's Laci," Willow said looking up from her drink. "She's awfully quick," Cordelia noticed. "That, or about to be awfully dinner," Buffy said following them. The rest of the scoobies got up and went after them.

Still I'm falling in love with the right now poster girl 

By the time they got to the alley all they saw was Laci with a stake in her hand as if she were about to fight something else, but she dropped it quick. "OH! I thought I heard something! We use um, knifes are passé in Cleveland," she said hoping it went over. "And the guy that came out here with you? That little pile of dust by your foot wouldn't be him would it," Buffy asks her. Laci sighed and rolled her eyes giving up. "Yeah. It would." Xander was more intrigued by her. "So," Oz spoke up. "You're a Slayer then?" "Once more, with yeah. But I'm a Slayer that's leaving. Sunnydale seems to be operating fine with one Slayer in the mix." "Wait," Buffy started. "How'd you know I was a Slayer?" "Well, you just told me for one. But I could tell. Sense the power. I mean, you could tell I was one too, couldn't you? I noticed the glare you gave me in the library when I went to get a book from Giles." "I felt something, just not MY calling." "Well, keep your calling. I've been looking for an excuse to hang up for months. I was quite happy with practicing Wicca. Anyway, it was nice of you all to invite me out to get eaten tonight, but I fear I must go home."

Driving home, Laci was so thoroughly pissed. She'd been thinking Sunnydale was finally a normal town. That she could finally hang up the Slayer ordeal. But now she knows better. She got home much earlier than expected. "Oh honey, how'd it go?" Laci just shook her head. "I pack up my stakes too soon apparently," she said walking up the stairs. Her mother thought about it then sank into a chair. Slaying was one of the things that she wanted her daughter away from the most. When she found out that Cleveland was on a Hellmouth, she begged her husband to fake the divorce, to have an excuse to get their daughter away from it all. Up in Laci's room, she was in tears.

Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.

_The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yea._

_They're swept away and nothing is what is seems,_

_The feeling of belonging to your dreams. _

_...Listen to your heart..._

_And there are voices_

_That wants to be heard._

So much to mention 

_But you can't find the words._

_The scent of magic,_

_The beauty that's been_

Laci sat up quick. She heard a scream. Running downstairs, she saw the front door open and a note on her porch. b "Welcome Slayer" /b "Shit!" She ran back inside looking for Willow's number. Calling her, she got their gang to join her. "Who all could possibly know you're the Slayer, and new to Sunnydale?" "I don't know, but whoever it is, they're beggin' for a beating. Are you guys in for helping?"

**To Be Continued…**

A/N: WOW! First fic in forever! R/R! Please! I have an idea for something to happen.. so Let me know what you like, don't like, what you'd like to see happen, etc. smiles


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